Subsonica
L'Eclissi

There's something off, evidently, in the stylistic evolution of the Turin-based group. The foundations are reminiscent of the Chemical Brothers' style of fifteen years ago or, at most, the more commercial Nine Inch Nails.

It's unfortunate to say, but the much-touted search for a general tone that's "mature," analytical, denunciatory, and only superficially detached from the logic of easy-listening has too many cracks.
The lyrics have stopped seeking a central core, consisting instead of broken phrases that, in most cases, fail to evoke the much-desired icy atmospheres (and besides, it's possible to make an album without the word 'bruise,' guys: but here we'd open another long parenthesis). Nevertheless, it can't resist alluding to modern sufferings in which so many teenagers - whether they are so chronologically or not, it's all the same - can see themselves... the curiosity is to see how one can continue to do this in an increasingly rarefied manner. Exercise in style, market logic, the need not to alienate those who still believe in it, everything is fair and justified. The conjunction between the dancefloor and denunciation is still postponed, as is the excessively grim attitude of those who - perhaps - have always taken themselves too seriously.

Samuel's affected voice starts to wear thin quickly, sounding duller than usual, or maybe it’s just a habit (finally, yes, a subject to avoid) - Casacci's guitars are saved when they don't overindulge in redundancy and Ninja's drums, certainly the best, at least until they decide to replace him with a programmable replicant, just to strip even more humanity from a group that on CD sounds - this time, yes - icy.

We know that live the story is different... perhaps it's becoming too repetitive, that's all. This, mind you, is not a total slam because, like it or not, a group like Subsonica always manages to stay above the pass mark and deserves attention. The fact is that the audience that has always followed them and maybe even viscerally appreciated them at the beginning has grown and become more demanding... if they are satisfied with the generational turnover and screaming kids who are satisfied with bass, samples, grooves, mildly allusive lyrics, and cool poses, so be it.

You can add a point if the album satisfies you intellectually and still be right. But beyond this, it doesn't go.